Reward for the Lost
by keeperofcoldtoes
Summary: In an intense moment of emotion, Tenzo sets out to bring Kakashi a world of hurt. Kakashi isn't looking for a fight though. KakaYama


Okay, heads up people, there are some minor **spoilers **if you haven't been keeping up with the manga. Extremely minor, so don't freak out. As a matter of fact, this could easily be the aftermath of any other made-up scenario. If you haven't been reading Naruto, the spoiler is so miniscule that you'll probably won't be able to tell fact from fiction. So enjoy.

~o~

Kakashi was currently chatting with his team in the middle of the street. His back was facing Tenzo.

With the nin in sight, his furious tromp became soft footfalls.

After a few yards, Tenzo was beginning to get noticed by the others that were facing him. He quickened his pace just as Sakura subtly nudged Naruto and muttered something to him. Sai gave his traditional polite smile, to which he ignored.

The copy-nin caught onto the odd behavior of his students and turned around to face him, "Oh, Yamato, did you- What happened to your face?"

Tenzo closed the distance between them and slapped Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye widened in shock for a second, no doubt unprepared for the assault to his face. He quickly bore a muderous gleam that soon melted into angered confusion.

For a moment Tenzo felt a great deal better and probably could have left it at that, but he still had layers of frustration under the surface that needed to be dealt with.

With all friendliness locked deep within, Tenzo grabbed Kakashi's collar and pulled him closer. Their faces were perhaps inches apart. Kakashi placed a hand over his own and looked at him with all seriousness.

"I've had a bad day," Tenzo stated slowly. Kakashi's eye seemed to glance at his bruises and wordlessly say, "Well, duh."

"Actually," Tenzo started, "the past few days have been a little rough. Can you imagine why?"

Kakashi was silent. Then he tenatively asking, "Do I owe you money?"

He considered for a second, "Yes, I think you owe me at least five thousand ryo, but that's not really why I'm here. I'm here because I had to come here. By myself."

"I'm glad you've become more independent," Kakashi quipped.

Tenzo wanted the pummel Kakashi into the ground, but he settled for tightening his hold. Kakashi was not going to wiggle his way out of this one.

"You broke your code," Tenzo told the infuriating shinobi before him. Kakashi merely furrowed his eyebrow at the vague phrase.

Tenzo happily clarified, "Remember how we all went on a mission a few days back?"

Kakashi then seemed to become aware of his situation and why Tenzo was almost ready to tear him to shreds.

"You left," he continued, "You all left. Did it even occur to you to do a head count? Did you, or anybody else, stop to think that maybe someone got left behind?"

"Oh. I'm sorry," Kakashi's grip on his hand loosened. If his downcast eye was any indication, he appeared to be truely remorseful.

That wasn't what Tenzo wanted though. Kakashi was supposed to deny the accusation, distract him, or even flat-out panic. He didn't want Kakashi to tell him that he was sorry, he wanted Kakashi to act like an ass so that he could beat him into the ground properly.

"No one came," Tenzo proceeded, "No one bothered. I didn't know where any of you were. You all could have been dead! Killed! I looked everywhere and asked everyone! You all left!" his anger flared up again at the memory, "What was I supposed to think when three, or even seven, people had gone and nobody told me a thing! What was I supposed to think when I found that battleground and all that blood was there? You all could have been killed and the corpses hidden!"

Tenzo's hands were starting to tremble from rage and fatigue, "You left," he whispered meaningfully.

Kakashi looked gently into his eyes and asked softly, "What happened after that? Did you get into a fight?"

"Bandit attack people traveling alone," Tenzo said dismissively, "but they weren't bad," his hands loosened their grip and he broke eye contact. His anger was dissipating and he was beginning to realize what he had just done. He slapped Kakashi.

Dear God, he slapped Kakashi.

In hindsight, his actions filled him with sadistic satisfaction, but grim shock started to set in when he realized that he slapped Kakashi and he wasn't dead for it. Yet.

If Kakashi did decide that he didn't like being slapped around and chased Tenzo around the village with his arsenal of jutsu, Tenzo knew he wouldn't have a chance. Running in a panic for a day in order to learn where his companions were, had left him feeling a bit drained.

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you" Kakashi snapped him out of his reverie by grasping his hands and guiding them down.

Suddenly, Tenzo felt soft cloth touch him as Kakashi's lips descended on his own.

He was too surprised to have a reaction, but there wasn't a need to, because just as quickly, it was over.

"See you at your apartment at seven," Kakashi said as he walked away with a wave.

Kakashi's form quickly disappeared into an alley.

He stood there for several seconds. He probably would have been done so until someone came along wanting one of his home grown houses, but he was distracted by a small cough.

It was only then that he noticed that there were three pairs of eyes on him.

"Oh," he said awkwardly at the three. Sakura was blushing furiously; the source of the polite cough. Naruto had a lewd grin and Sai still had that ridiculously annoying smile.

"I had no idea that Kakashi dated people!" Naruto laughed.

"Of course he does! Just because you've never had a date, doesn't mean the rest of us are the same!"

"They'll probably have alot of really loud sex tonight."

"Oh god, shut up Sai!"

His cheeks burning hotly and ignoring the teens' voices, Tenzo turned and walked at a pace that was more of a restrained run.

While walking through the street, he thought to himself that it had been a rather good day.

~o~

I made this ficlet before Tenzo made his magical appearance in this week's manga, so I created this while entertaining the thought "OMG! Where's Tenzo?! He hasn't shown up in a while, did they leave him behind?!" Thus, this was spawned. :3


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